Fr. Brian Soliven Sermons

St. Paul’s quote, "I willingly boast of my weakness," speaks to the paradoxical strength that is found in vulnerability. In his letter to the Corinthians, Paul highlights how his personal weaknesses, limitations, and struggles allow God’s power to shine through. By embracing his own imperfections rather than hiding or boasting about strength, he makes room for divine grace to work more fully within him.

Every year, Ash Wednesday arrives with a powerful invitation to pause and reflect: “You are dust, and to dust you shall return.” This ancient call, spoken by the priest as ashes are placed on our foreheads, echoes through centuries of faith and devotion. It’s a call to recognize our place in the story of human salvation—the story that began with Adam and Eve, carried on through Abraham, Moses, and the prophets, and ultimately reached its highest point in the sending of Jesus, God’s own Son, to die on the cross for us. This story is not just ancient history; it’s the relentless pursuit of God’s love for each and every one of us. Christianity, with all its richness, boils down to this one undeniable truth: God’s love is mighty, and we matter more than we can ever fully comprehend.

And yet, despite this profound reality, we often forget. The world around us pulls our attention away from the One who loves us with an everlasting love, and we allow the distractions of life to crowd out His presence. But we are called to remember—to "Love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength" (cf. Deuteronomy 6:5, cf. Matthew 22:37). We all fall short of this call, even the greatest saints. 

But every Lent offers us a fresh start. It invites us to journey into the desert alongside Jesus, who himself fasted and prayed in solitude for forty days, as we heard in the Gospel passage. He entered the battle that rages within each of us—the battle between following God and giving in to the distractions of the world. The great 17th century French Catholic thinker Blaise Pascal once said, “All of humanity’s problems stem from man’s inability to sit quietly in a room alone.” In that quiet stillness, we face the struggle: Will we choose to listen to God, or will we let the noise of life drown His voice? Silence can be uncomfortable because it forces us to confront deeper truths—and Lent is the perfect time to do just that.

As we embark on this season, know that I am praying for each one of you. As your priest and pastor, it is my sacred duty to lift you up in prayer. My prayer for you this Lent is simple but powerful—that your love for Jesus would deepen and grow. No matter where you’ve stumbled in your walk with the Lord, remember that Lent is a time for renewal and transformation. As Scripture promises, “We know that all things work together for the good for those who love God” (cf. Romans 8:28).

This Lent, let us begin again. God’s love is always calling; the question is, will we respond?

When Jesus says, "Pick up your cross," He is calling His followers to embrace the challenges, sacrifices, and hardships that come with living a life of faith. The cross symbolizes suffering, self-denial, and the willingness to follow God's will, even in the face of adversity. It's an invitation to live with purpose, endure difficulties with strength, and remain steadfast in devotion to Him, just as Jesus did in His own journey. The phrase emphasizes the importance of commitment and discipleship, where personal desires may be set aside for a greater good.

 "We are dust and to dust we shall return" serves as a profound reminder of our mortality and the need for repentance. When we receive ashes on our foreheads, it symbolizes both humility and the acknowledgment of sin. The phrase encourages us to reflect on our fragility, prompting us to seek spiritual renewal during the season of Lent. It underscores the importance of turning toward God, recognizing that life is fleeting, and that repentance and penance are pathways to eternal life.

Giving up everything to follow Jesus is seen as an act of profound faith and commitment. Jesus himself called his disciples to leave behind their worldly possessions and attachments in order to fully embrace God's will. While this may seem difficult or even impossible, we believe that the reward of eternal life and the fulfillment of God's purpose far outweighs any earthly sacrifice. The teachings of Jesus emphasize love, humility, and trust in God's plan, suggesting that in surrendering everything, one gains the true richness of spiritual life and a deeper relationship with God. Ultimately, it’s viewed as a path to true freedom and peace, grounded in the hope of eternal salvation.

Demons, led by Satan, care about human beings because they view them as rivals to their own spiritual rebellion against God. Demons are believed to seek to corrupt and lead humans away from God in an effort to diminish God's creation and thwart His divine plan. Since humans are made in God's image and have the potential for salvation, demons aim to tempt, deceive, and lead them into sin, hoping to separate them from God's love and grace. This spiritual conflict is seen as a constant battle between good and evil, with human souls being the prize.

Jesus often used children to teach important lessons about faith and humility. He said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." Children, with their simple trust and openness, demonstrate the pure faith that Jesus encourages in all of us. Just as a child believes without question, Jesus calls us to approach God with a heart full of trust and innocence, free from pride and doubt.

In a world often driven by division, anger, and the instinct to seek revenge, the words of Jesus in Luke 6:27-38 stand as a beacon of radical love and boundless grace. These verses invite us into a higher way of living, one that challenges the norms of retaliation and self-interest and instead calls us to love without limits. Jesus begins with a powerful command: “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you” (Luke 6:27). At first glance, this might seem impossible. The idea of loving those who hurt us, those who oppose us, can be deeply unsettling. But in this message, Jesus is not only asking us to forgive; he is showing us that the power of love is greater than the power of hatred. When we choose to love, even when it is difficult, we break the chains of bitterness and resentment. Love becomes a transformative force, capable of healing wounds and bridging divides.

Jesus takes it further by urging us to bless those who curse us and pray for those who mistreat us (v. 28). This is not passive forgiveness, but an active decision to seek the good of others—even those who have wronged us. It's easy to love those who love us, but the true challenge comes in responding with kindness and compassion to those who might never offer the same in return. Yet, it is precisely in this space that we find the heart of God’s love—unconditional and gracious, not based on what we receive, but on who we are called to be.

The passage continues with more radical teachings, encouraging us to turn the other cheek   when struck and to give to those who ask (v. 29-30). These instructions call us to rise above the instinct to protect ourselves at all costs, inviting us instead to live with an open heart and open hands. When we act with generosity, not out of obligation, but from a place of love, we mirror God’s overflowing grace and mercy.

At the core of these verses lies the “Golden Rule”: “Do to others as you would have them do to you” (v. 31). This simple yet profound principle speaks to the power of empathy and respect. If we treat others with the same kindness, compassion, and understanding that we desire for ourselves, we begin to create a world that reflects the love of God in every interaction. Jesus concludes with an inspiring promise. When we embrace these radical ways of love and generosity, we align ourselves with the heart of God, who is merciful, kind, and generous (v. 36-38). In return, we will receive mercy, goodness, and blessings in ways we cannot even imagine. This is not a transaction, but a reflection of God’s eternal and unchanging nature.

Luke 6:27-38 calls us to live beyond our own limitations and to embody a love that transcends every hurt, every fear, and every barrier. It reminds us that the way of Christ is the way of selfless love—a love that heals, restores, and builds bridges even in the most difficult of circumstances. It challenges us to be agents of transformation in a broken world, shining as reflections of the incredible love that God has shown to each of us. When we embrace these teachings, we don't just change our own hearts; we begin to change the world around us.

In the Bible, Jesus heals a blind man in a powerful act of compassion and divine power. Jesus encounters a man who has been blind from birth. He spits on the ground, makes mud with his saliva, and applies it to the man’s eyes. This miraculous healing not only demonstrates Jesus' divine authority but also symbolizes the spiritual blindness that Jesus came to heal, offering light and truth to all who believe.

In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus speaks to a crowd of people, offering blessings that may seem paradoxical at first glance, especially when he says, "Blessed are you who are poor, for the kingdom of God is yours." This statement challenges the conventional understanding of wealth and success, inviting us to reflect deeply on what it truly means to be “blessed” in the eyes of God.

The word "poor" here doesn't just refer to financial poverty but to a spiritual state of humility and dependence on God. In a world that often equates blessing with material wealth, power, or influence, Jesus turns this notion upside down. The poor, those who may have little in terms of material possessions, are described as the ones who are blessed, for they are the ones who are most open to the transformative grace of God.

At the heart of this teaching is the idea that poverty—whether economic, social, or spiritual—can create an openness to God’s kingdom. When a person is materially poor, they are often more aware of their need, more reliant on others, and more open to divine intervention. In this space of vulnerability, the message of God’s love and grace is clearer, for the poor are not distracted by the false sense of self-sufficiency that wealth can sometimes bring. They are more willing to acknowledge that the kingdom of God is not about worldly success but about the presence of God's love, justice, and peace.

This blessing calls all of us to reevaluate our priorities and perspectives. It asks us to consider what true wealth really is and to recognize that in the eyes of God, those who are humble, dependent, and poor in spirit are already living in a place of grace. The promise of the kingdom of God is not something reserved for the powerful or the affluent but is offered freely to those who acknowledge their need for God, regardless of their social status.

In the end, Jesus' words remind us that the kingdom of God is not defined by earthly standards of success or wealth, but by an openness to God's love and a willingness to live with humility, compassion, and justice. It is an invitation to embrace the values of the kingdom, where the poor are blessed and are given a place at the table of divine abundance.